Report Cites Al Qaeda Deal For Iraqi Gas

[charrison]

Linkage

The Bush administration has received a credible report that Islamic extremists affiliated with al Qaeda took possession of a chemical weapon in Iraq last month or late in October, according to two officials with firsthand knowledge of the report and its source. They said government analysts suspect that the transaction involved the nerve agent VX and that a courier managed to smuggle it overland through Turkey.

 

[Martin]

On the central question whether Iraqi President Saddam Hussein knew about or authorized such a transaction, U.S. analysts are said to have no evidence. Because Hussein's handpicked Special Security Organization, run by his son Qusay, has long exerted tight control over concealed weapons programs, officials said they presume it would be difficult to transfer a chemical agent without the president's knowledge.

Until they have solid evidence (and not just presumptions) that the government sold the gas, I see nothing worthy in this article. The fact that al-qaeda is trying to get weapons is hardly new.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

On the central question whether Iraqi President Saddam Hussein knew about or authorized such a transaction, U.S. analysts are said to have no evidence. Because Hussein's handpicked Special Security Organization, run by his son Qusay, has long exerted tight control over concealed weapons programs, officials said they presume it would be difficult to transfer a chemical agent without the president's knowledge.

Until they have solid evidence (and not just presumptions) that the government sold the gas, I see nothing worthy in this article. The fact that al-qaeda is trying to get weapons is hardly new.

Well, it may virtually impossible to get the smoking the gun, but there is enough circumstantial evidence to warrent taking some sort of action.

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

On the central question whether Iraqi President Saddam Hussein knew about or authorized such a transaction, U.S. analysts are said to have no evidence. Because Hussein's handpicked Special Security Organization, run by his son Qusay, has long exerted tight control over concealed weapons programs, officials said they presume it would be difficult to transfer a chemical agent without the president's knowledge.

Until they have solid evidence (and not just presumptions) that the government sold the gas, I see nothing worthy in this article. The fact that al-qaeda is trying to get weapons is hardly new.

Well, it may virtually impossible to get the smoking the gun, but there is enough circumstantial evidence to warrent taking some sort of action.

I disagree. When you are dealing with something as major as a war, assumptions aren't enough. Look how they say "it would be difficult", not "impossible". How do you know this wasn't some scienctist looking for a few million dollars?

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

On the central question whether Iraqi President Saddam Hussein knew about or authorized such a transaction, U.S. analysts are said to have no evidence. Because Hussein's handpicked Special Security Organization, run by his son Qusay, has long exerted tight control over concealed weapons programs, officials said they presume it would be difficult to transfer a chemical agent without the president's knowledge.

Until they have solid evidence (and not just presumptions) that the government sold the gas, I see nothing worthy in this article. The fact that al-qaeda is trying to get weapons is hardly new.

Well, it may virtually impossible to get the smoking the gun, but there is enough circumstantial evidence to warrent taking some sort of action.

I disagree. When you are dealing with something as major as a war, assumptions aren't enough. Look how they say "it would be difficult", not "impossible". How do you know this wasn't some scienctist looking for a few million dollars?

That is a possability, but if those weapons are going to be used for terror, it still needs to be stopped.
Is iraq going to cooperate with these reports, you can bet they will not.

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

On the central question whether Iraqi President Saddam Hussein knew about or authorized such a transaction, U.S. analysts are said to have no evidence. Because Hussein's handpicked Special Security Organization, run by his son Qusay, has long exerted tight control over concealed weapons programs, officials said they presume it would be difficult to transfer a chemical agent without the president's knowledge.

Until they have solid evidence (and not just presumptions) that the government sold the gas, I see nothing worthy in this article. The fact that al-qaeda is trying to get weapons is hardly new.

Well, it may virtually impossible to get the smoking the gun, but there is enough circumstantial evidence to warrent taking some sort of action.

I disagree. When you are dealing with something as major as a war, assumptions aren't enough. Look how they say "it would be difficult", not "impossible". How do you know this wasn't some scienctist looking for a few million dollars?

What if they plan to smuggle the weapon into the US through canada and the device is accidentally activated in a major canadian city killing 1/4 of the inhabitants. Feel the same way?

Like the captian of a ship Saddam is responsible for every weapon he creates. It's interesting that the world holds the US to blame for Israel using US made weapons but on the other hand exempts a dictator who has run a clandestine weapons program for WMD that may have directly allowed or allowed through improper procedures for that weapon to fall into terrorist hands.